Before long, Matthew returned to the wooden cabin.
On the open ground in front of the door, five cloth bags were neatly arranged—four large bags and one small bag.
The large bags were filled with dried meat, while the small bag contained some necessities for his upcoming adventure.
In addition to these, there was a backpack and some arrows.
He bent down to inspect them, and after confirming everything was correct, he carried them inside one by one.
The interior of the cabin smelled slightly musty, but it offered a familiar sense of security.
Matthew briefly organized the items. His gaze landed on the earthenware pot and the dry ration bag in the corner, and his stomach let out a timely, faint rumble.
“I'll make meat porridge and bread for dinner tonight.”
He muttered to himself, swiftly lighting the hearth. He set the earthenware pot on top, poured in clean water, and took a few pieces of tough, dried meat from a large bag, using his dagger to finely dice them.
The diced meat dropped into the water. As the flames licked the bottom of the pot, a savory aroma gradually wafted out.
Having done all this, Matthew watched the flickering flames as his thoughts began to wander.
“With ample dried meat reserves, the practice efficiency of 【Melting Slash】 will increase significantly. It probably won't even take half a month to reach the Novice level! By then, the Black Iron Rank will be within my grasp!”
“I wonder how much my attributes on the panel will increase after I advance to the Black Iron Rank.”
He couldn't help but look forward to it. Instructor Calm had mentioned that when breaking through a rank, the body would receive a comprehensive enhancement—a leap in the very essence of one's life.
The exact increase in stats varied from person to person, but even so, once one became a Black Iron Rank expert, they would be far beyond ordinary people.
As for the wizard path, he was in no rush for the time being. First, because neither the meditation method nor the Energy Missile would see a significant improvement in a short time. Even the Energy Missile would take until the beginning of spring at the earliest to reach the Novice level! Second, agility and flexibility were most important when fighting in the forest. Before the Energy Missile reached a high proficiency, it could only be used to ambush enemies.
Thinking up to this point, Matthew shook his head.
But at the same time, because of his increased strength, a previously shelved idea surfaced in his mind—extending his traps to the outskirts of the forest.
The abundant prey in the forest had always made his mouth water, but with his previous lack of strength, he had temporarily put the thought aside. But now, things had changed.
Having a constitution that rivaled the Black Iron Rank meant that operating at the very outskirts of the forest, at least, would be much safer. If he only set up a few traps and checked them at fixed times, the risk would be far more manageable.
“If I can catch some magical beasts because of this, it would be an unexpected harvest.”
Thinking of the pure life energy contained in magical beast meat, a look of anticipation flashed in Matthew's eyes. If he had an abundant supply of magical beast meat, the progress of his combat techniques would skyrocket! It might even be possible to reach the “Basic” rank before spring!
Then his strength would be unrivaled among the Black Iron Rank, as combat techniques were the key to battle for Class holders of the same rank.
However... the only difficulty lay in what kind of trap to set. After all, relying on a Vine Trap was more than enough to catch rabbits and other small animals, but trying to catch a magical beast with it was pure fantasy.
Even the lowest-grade Shadow Wolf possessed formidable strength!
The instructor's words still echoed in his ears: “Most magical beasts inhabit forests and wildernesses, making them difficult to hunt. It requires professional Class holders to do so.”
Matthew sat before the hearth, his brow slightly furrowed as he stared at the dancing flames. Knowledge regarding magical beasts surfaced one by one in his mind.
The Shadow Wolf was not large and was famous for its speed; a common Vine Trap probably wouldn't even touch a hair on its body.
“Magical beasts are different from ordinary wild beasts. They are often more alert, stronger, and some even possess special abilities. The traps must be hidden well enough, sturdy, and ideally deal a fatal blow or at least severely wound them.”
His gaze swept across the room unconsciously, finally resting on the newly acquired 【Forest Shadow Hunting Bow】 and the several bags of arrows.
“Perhaps... the trap itself doesn't need to aim for a one-hit kill.”
An idea gradually became clear: “It can be designed to restrict movement or inflict initial damage, and then I can personally deliver the fatal blow with my hunting bow.”
This line of thinking lifted his spirits. If the focus was primarily on restriction and weakening, the difficulty of designing the trap would be significantly reduced, and the risk Matthew had to take would be extremely low.
“For example, a pitfall trap.”
Matthew sketched a blueprint in his mind.
“Dig a deep pit on a beast trail and set sharpened wooden stakes at the bottom. Cleverly camouflage the opening with thin branches and fallen leaves. With the size of a Shadow Wolf, once it falls in, the spikes will be enough to pierce its abdomen or legs, robbing it of most of its mobility.”
“I can also combine it with bait.”
Matthew recalled Instructor Calm mentioning that magical beasts were sensitive to the smell of blood.
“Using fresh entrails or meat as bait, placed at the center of the trap, should increase the success rate.”
However, setting up these traps required a more precise grasp of the terrain on the forest outskirts and the activity tracks of magical beasts; otherwise, placing them there would just be a waste of effort.
“It seems that before officially setting up the traps, I still need to conduct a few meticulous reconnaissances.”
“Even if it takes some time, it will be worth it if I can get a stable supply of magical beast meat.”
Matthew was immersed in his thoughts about the trap design until the sound of boiling water in the earthenware pot suddenly intensified. The soft splattering of the overflowing porridge and the richer aroma of meat abruptly pulled his consciousness back to reality.
“It would be a waste if it burns.”
He smiled, temporarily shelving the blueprint in his mind. He quickly got up to stir the meat porridge in the pot with a wooden spoon and removed some firewood, turning the heat down to a gentle simmer.
He then ladled out the cooked meat porridge and slowly enjoyed it along with some black bread.
After finishing his dinner, Matthew carefully washed and put away the earthenware pot and wooden spoon.
Outside, the sky had darkened completely, with only the remaining twilight outlining the distant mountains.
He stretched his body, feeling the slight stiffness in his muscles after days of running around.
“I haven't practiced my swordsmanship all day; I actually miss it a bit.”
He chuckled to himself as he picked up his practice longsword and pushed open the door to step into the small yard.
The coolness of the night rushed over him, carrying the scent of soil, grass, and trees.
Under the faint light of the stars and moon, Matthew stood on the open ground of the yard, adjusting his breathing as he recalled the power-generation techniques and breathing rhythm of 【Melting Slash】.
In the darkness, the outline of the longsword gleamed with a faint, cold sharpness under the dim light.
After adjusting his breathing a few times, Matthew suddenly opened his eyes and took a sudden step forward!
The muscles of his right arm tensed as he swung the longsword upward in a diagonal slash. The moment the blade cut through the air, he deliberately synchronized his exhalation with the release of power—
“Chii!”
A sharp whistling sound, much more piercing than a normal swing, rang out. The blade dragged a brief silver arc under the moonlight, as if even the surrounding night was slightly stirred.
But that arc of light lasted only an instant before dissipating.
Matthew pulled back into a stance and stood still, panting slightly.
“Still a bit off... It seems the channeling of life energy isn't smooth enough. The burst is fine, but it can't be sustained.”
Undeterred, he continued his practice.
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